Extra money is only the first step towards recovery of education salaries
"It is great that this outgoing cabinet is making a start on the much-needed extra recovery of education salaries, but the strike on 5 October will continue as usual. 270 million euros extra for primary education is, after all, insufficient to curb the problems in our labor market."
That says AOb-chairman Liesbeth Verheggen in a first reaction to the leaked million memorandum. "It is nice that the PvdA is convinced of the need for extra money. It is a good thing that they have also succeeded in convincing the VVD. That is quite an achievement when you consider that the cabinet is outgoing and the PvdA only has nine seats left. has."
Thorough renovation
But the 270 million euros can only be the start of more. "There is now some movement. But anyone who thinks that our education has been saved with this amount is mistaken," Verheggen concludes. "It's not for nothing that such a broad coalition as the PO-front has emerged. In primary education, we will fall through the ice in terms of quality in the coming years if a thorough renovation is not forthcoming. We demand 900 million euros extra for salaries and 500 million euros for stress relief."
This demand follows on from problems that, according to Verheggen, were largely caused by politics in The Hague. "The economic crisis of recent years has been combated, among other things, by far too severe cutbacks in the public sector. Education is one of the main victims of this. Salaries in primary education in particular are lagging behind compared to those of highly educated people in other countries. sectors. Support has often been cut back. At the same time, higher demands are being placed on the work of our teaching staff. In itself, it is right that society demands the best possible education. But study electors ignore our sector as long as the demands are high and the pay is low it."
AObchairman: "In itself it is right that society demands the best conceivable education. But study electors ignore our sector as long as the demands are high and the pay is low."
A new cabinet will have to show ambition to help the sector recover. "The effect of this great investment evaporates completely when the negotiators of VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie think that nothing is needed anymore. Our society stands or falls with a solid knowledge economy and that will be in serious trouble if education is further neglected. Studies predict teacher shortages of XNUMX full-time jobs if policy remains unchanged," the AOb-chair. "You are not above that leak with this amount. It is therefore of the utmost importance that we strike en masse in primary education on October 5."
Delta Plan
At the beginning of this year, the AOb the manifesto: 'Less workload, better education' and an Salary step-by-step plan which mapped out how much money is needed to get the education labor market in order in all sectors. Verheggen: "Including VO, MBO and HBO, you end up with a total amount of six billion euros structurally, and we have been careful with our estimate. The need is greatest in primary education because of the rising shortages and the relatively scant payment. But it would be best if the forthcoming Rutte III cabinet develops a serious Delta Plan for the entire sector."
